Typically, infant seats are of a lounge chair type in which the infant is maintained on its back in a reclined position. Such infant seats are not physiologic. That is, sitting back for an infant who does not have control of its head or its back makes it difficult for the infant to see and interact with its environment.
For many years, some pediatricians have advised parents of infants with colic to lay the infant face down along the parent's forearm, shoulder of knee. In such a position, which is generally fetal-like, pressure exerted on the infant's chest and abdomen tends to quiet it.
Gaskins U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,410 discloses a baby burp seat adapted to support an infant in a prone position which permits the infant to have a better view of its surroundings and which aids the infant in the relief of stomach gases. The Gaskins seat does, however, have its limitations. For instance, because there is no structure for supporting the head of the infant, the Gaskins seat can only be used by an infant whose neck muscles are strong enough to support its head without any other aids. From a practical standpoint, therefore, the Gaskins seat can only be used by infants who are about three months old or older. The lack of a head support also prevents the Gaskins seat from being used like a conventional chair to support an infant on its back in a reclined position.